1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method of connecting electrical connectors and a connection module adapted to implement the method.
2. Description of the Prior Art
FIG. 1 of the appended drawings shows a prior art connection module 1. The module 1 can include one or more connectors 2i, for example two connectors 21 and 22 as shown here. Each of the connectors 21, 22 includes a plurality of male or female connecting pins 21j, 22j, respectively, and the pins are straight and aligned in one row or in parallel rows.
The connectors 2i are mounted in alignment on the module 1 so that the pins 2ij project from a lateral face 4 of the module. The pins are connected inside the module to electrical wires or cables (not shown) that emerge from the module in a bundle via one or more openings 5.
Thus the connectors 21, 22 are adapted to be connected to associated and complementary connectors 61, 62 correspondingly mounted on an electrical or electronic device 7, to be more precise on a face 71 of an enclosure of the device, which is itself connected to the connectors 61, 62. The pins 61j, 62j of these connectors are each complementary to one of the pins 21j and 22j of the respective connectors 21, 22.
Thus electrical currents or signals can flow between the wires or cables connected to the connectors 21, 22 and the electrical and/or electronic device.
The module 1 is conventionally attached to a lug 8 having a rounded end 81 shaped to hook onto and pivot on a rim 91 of a support bar 9 fastened to the face 71 of the device 7 that carries the complementary connectors 61, 62. The rim 91 therefore defines a rotation axis for the module 1 when the lug 8 of the latter is bearing on the rim.
A raised portion and a corresponding notch are formed on the lug 8 and on the rim 91, respectively, to define a position of the module 1 registering with that of the connectors 61, 62 of the device 7 in a direction transverse to the axis of the rim 91.
To connect the connectors 21, 22 to the corresponding connectors 61, 62, the lug 8 on the module 1 is hooked onto the support bar 9. Thus in the starting position the module 1 and the connectors 21, 22 are inclined so that the rows of pins of the connectors are in the same plane, parallel to that of the figure, as the corresponding complementary pins of the connectors 61, 62. The pins of any pair of complementary pins (consisting of a male pin and a female pin that must engage one over the other) are equidistant from the rotation axis defined by the end 81 of the lug 8 bearing on the rim 91.
Starting from this inclined position of the module 1, the latter is rotated (in the direction of the arrow F1) to move the pins 21j, 22j of the connectors 21, 22 toward the corresponding pins 61j, 62j of the connectors 61, 62, respectively, and then to engage the female (for example) pins 21j, 22j over the corresponding male pins 61j, 62j to the full length of the pins, as shown in FIG. 1.
Because all the corresponding male and female pins are straight, they are designed to be normally engaged with each other coaxially.
During the rotation movement described above, from the moment at which the female pins of the connectors 21, 22 begin to engage over the corresponding male pins of the connectors 61, 62, the axis of each female pin 2ij turns tangentially to a circular path and remains inclined to that of the corresponding male pin until the moment at which the female pin is completely engaged over the whole length of the corresponding male pin 6ij, at which point these axes are finally colinear.
The non-colinearity of these axes throughout the engagement of the corresponding pairs of pins one over the other has a harmful consequence: the transmission, between the pins of each pair of pins brought into contact, of bending stresses likely, eventually, to damage them mechanically. This can lead to breakdown in the transmission of power or signals and therefore to degraded operation of the devices connected by such connectors or even complete failure thereof.
An object of the present invention is precisely to provide a method of connecting electrical connectors designed to protect them from this kind of damage.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a connection module adapted to implement the method.
The above objects of the invention, together with others that will become apparent on reading the description given hereinafter, are achieved by a method of connecting first and second electrical connectors each having a plurality of aligned straight pins complementary to corresponding pins of the other connector, the pins of each pair of complementary pins being designed to engage coaxially one within the other, in which method:
a) free ends of said pins of said first and second connectors are placed in two intersecting planes so that said pins of said two connectors have axes that lie in a common plane perpendicular to the intersection of said planes, said axes of said pins of said pairs of complementary pins being equidistant from said intersection,
b) one connector is pivoted relative to the other about said intersection to align said pins of each pair of complementary pins on a common axis, and
c) said complementary pins are engaged one within the other by movement of one connector toward the other in translation in a direction parallel to the aligned axes of said pins.
As explained in more detail later, the invention totally eliminates the transmission of bending forces between two pins during their mutual engagement, and thus all risk of deformation thereof by such bending forces. This achieves more reliable operation of devices equipped with this kind of connector, which is particularly beneficial in the aerospace industry, for example.
The present invention also provides a connection module for implementing the above method, the module including the first connector and the second connector being fastened to an electrical or electronic device equipped with a support bar for supporting a lug projecting from the module, rotation of the module between respective positions away from and close to the first and second connectors being guided by the bar, in which connection module the lug can move in translation on the module in a direction parallel to the axes of the pins of the first connector between first and second positions firstly to enable pivoting of the module when in the first position to align the pins of each pair of complementary pins of the connectors on a common axis and secondly to guide coaxial engagement of the complementary pins one within the other when it moves to its second position when the module is pushed in a direction parallel to the axes of the pins to bring about such engagement.
According to other features of the present invention:
the lug is mounted on the module by means of a stud and slot connection, the slot is parallel to the axes of the pins of the connector carried by the module, and the first and second positions of the lug are defined by contact between the stud and first and second ends of the slot, respectively,
the module includes a latch for immobilizing the lug in its second position and consisting of an elastic blade mounted on the lug, which is in turn mounted on an extension of the module, and having a lip engaging against a stop formed in the extension to immobilize the lug in its second position, and
the module includes means for unlocking the latch, including firstly a detent in the profile of the slot enabling the stud to rotate through a small angle in the slot when it is in contact with the second end of the slot and secondly a finger fastened to the extension and such that the rotation through a small angle moves the finger against the blade to disengage the lip from the blade of the stop.
Other features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent on reading the following description and referring to the appended drawings.